Hindutva activist Sambhaji Bhide is facing severe criticism from almost all corners after his derogatory remarks about Mahatma Gandhi.
A couple of days ago, in a public meeting at Amaravati, Bhide claimed that Karamchand Gandhi was not the real father of Gandhi and that his real father was a Muslim landlord.
Bhide’s outrageous claim sparked a wave of anger among admirers of Gandhi and leaders of almost all secular parties demanded strict action against Bhide, an octogenarian who founded Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, a right-wing organisation that is popular in western Maharashtra.
This is not the first time Bhide is making controversial statements. In the past, he had claimed that if women ate mangoes from his orchard, they would be blessed with a male child.
Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan demanded in the state assembly that Bhide should be immediately arrested for his insulting remarks about the Mahatma.
Former minister and Congress legislator Vijay Wadettiwar said Bhide is known for poisoning the minds of youth through such claims and he is acting on behalf of RSS. “On one hand Prime Minister Modi bows before Mahatma Gandhi wherever he goes abroad and on the other hand, people like Bhide, from the same Sangh Parivar carry out a campaign to insult and abuse Gandhiji without the slightest hesitation. Such a person (Bhide) should be thrown in jail permanently,” said Wadettiwar.
Former minister and another senior Congress leader Yashomati Thakur demanded that Bhide should be thrown out of the country.
Prominent Marathi actor and poet Kishore Kadam too has demanded immediate arrest of Bhide.
However, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis are yet to order any strict action against Bhide.
